“The air raids left fifteen militants killed, five rest houses, a vehicle and five motorbikes destroyed,” Azzawi added.

In remarks earlier this week, Awwad al-Rubai’e, head of the security committee of Abu Sayda council, said around fifty IS militants were killed in sporadic airstrikes that targeted pivotal havens and sleeper cells of the group in northeast of Diyala.

Attacks launched by Islamic State militants against security troops, the pro-government forces and civilians surged over the past few weeks in northeast of Diyala, which urge the Iraqi forces to prevent the militants infiltration between Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces, especially the regions stretching along Hamreen mountains and Al-Azeem town.

IS holds pivotal regions that link between each of Diyala, Salahuddin and Kirkuk, posing threats to the liberated regions.

After declaring victory in Mosul, the government and military commanders are expected to wage operations at other IS havens across the country, including Diyala, in order to mark an end to the group’s self-styled “caliphate” declared by the group in 2014.